A Modern Mother

This week in Corduroy Mansions 2...

I tried to stop reading Alexander McCall Smith's digital serial novel Corduroy Mansions 2 -- The Dog Who Came In From The Cold, but I something in me won't press "delete" when the emails land in my inbox. I am intrigued by Rupert's obsession with another woman's flat and fret that James will leave Caroline for Dee (after this week's revelation, I guess he won't). I worry for poor Freddie de la Hay (BTW -- did you know that dog is on Twitter?) Now I find myself eavesdropping on a wacko pair of leaches in the countryside near Cheltenham. This book is brilliant! And much more fun than doing the laundry, I may add.

This week in Corduroy Mansions 2...

So did y'all sign up for Alexander McCall's Smith's latest digital serial novel, Corduroy Mansions 2: The Dog That Came In From The Cold?

I will do anything to avoid housework and this FREE novel that gets delivered to my laptop is a perfect way to whittle my time away now that the girls are all in school...

Last week we were introduced to William the wine merchant, his 28-year-old son (who only just moved out of his father's flat); William's Pimlico Terrier, Freddie de-lay-Hey; Marcia, a caterer who has (had?) her eye on William; and Angelica, a bespectacled beauty, who recently re-entered William's life. We also met Caroline and James, friends (more than?) that are recent graduates of Sotheby's Art Institute. After a surprise visit to William and a cup of tea, Angelica revealed that she worked for the Mi6 and they needed William's help...

Hmmm, what shall I do now the girls are in school? I know, read an online serial novel!

Ooohhh, how fun! What better way to fill in my time, now that all the girls are all at school, than to be involved with an online serial novel. How cool!

Corduroy Mansions 2 -- The Dog Who Came In From The Cold, by Alexander McCall Smith (best known for the Ladies No. 1 Detective Agency) starts Monday. Sign up, and every weekday over the next 13 weeks a new chapter will be sent to your laptop or iPhone. Did I mention this was free? (thank you The Telegraph).

McCall Smith, who got the idea for digital serial genre while talking to Armistead Maupin (Tales of the City), only writes the first 40 or so chapters and likes to get feedback from his readers before he gets on with the plot. So you really do become part of the story. How Web 2.0!